Lubricating device for internal-combustion engines



C. B. KIRKHAM.

LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLiCATION FILED MAY 31,1918.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a m i m ATTORNEY C. B. KIRKHAM.

LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3!,1918.

1,404,86 1 Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INvENTosa. 7 CHARLIE-5 5K1 R-KHAM C. B.'K|RKHAM.

LUBRlCATlNG DEVICE FOR INTERNAL comsusnon ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1918.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

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INVENTOIZ. c AzLe fi. KIBKHAM.

UNITED STATES CHARLES B. KIRKHAM, OE GARDEN CITY.

PATENT OFFICE.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AERO- PLANE AND MOTOR CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Application filed May 31,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. CHARLES E. Knnrrraar, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garden City, Long Island, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have i11- vented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and. particularly to lubricating features thereof.

The object of the invention is the pro-- vision of improved lubricating devices and the arrangement thereof whereby the lubricant is freely circulated through the moving parts of the motor and is maintained free of foreign and contaminating substances and is at all times in a thoroughly cleansed con dition, it being thereby possible to use the lubricant over and over again without undue impairment of its lubricating qualities. I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a motor having a sump in the bottom of the crank case and a pump located in the sump which drains the used lubricant do \vnwardly from the moving parts and forces the same upwardly through the manifolds leading to the cam shaft, crank shaft, and other parts of the motor to be lubricated. I provide a drip or collecting pan up above the sump, and ducts leading downwardly from the pan to the sump, and in these ducts I interpolate a strainer unit of improved construction, this unit being adapted to be readily fitted on to the bottom of the crank case with the greatest facility. The crank case is formed with ducts leading downwardly from the unit which is fitted thereto to the pump intake. In addition to the improvernculs in the cleansing of the lubricant, my in ention has the advantages of simplicity in construction and of few parts, whereby the assembly thereof andthe fitting of the same to the crank case may be accomplished at a minimum expenditure of time and labor. My improved lubricating devices, including strainer units and the drip pan, also have the advantage of being readily standarized and the manufacturing cost thereof reduced to a minimum. For a better understanding of my invention, including the features above noted and others which. will herein.- after appear, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

1918. Serial No. 237,494.

Fig. 1 is a part sectional and part cleva tional view of a motor embodying my inventlon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of certain parts thereof,

Fig. 3 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4C is a plan view of the lower half of the crank case, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to similar parts throughout, I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a V-type internal combustion. engine of well known construction, only one bank of the cylinders being illustrated. The framework or crank case of the engine comprises an upper half 1 having the cylinders 2 mounted in the form of a V thereon and having in the upper part thereof a hollow camshaft 3, and below the camshaft, the usual crank shaft. this crank shaftalso being hollow for the distribution of the lubricant therethrough and to the bearings. The camshaft 3 and the crankshaft 4 are conveniently journalled within bearing supports 5 preferably formed integrally with the crank case, these supports 5 being provided as indicated with ducts 6 leading downwardly from the annular chambers around the camshaft bearings downwardly to the crank shaft bearings. The lower half of the crank case 7 is adapted to fit as usual against the upper half and is provided with an oil pump in the lower part thereof as indicated for receiving the lubricant from the moving parts of the motor. The lower half of the crank case has mounted longitudinally thereof a drip pan being adapted to completely close the oil sump against the upper part of the crank case, except through passages hereinafter set forth. For supporting this drip pan the lower half provided with lugs 9 extending inwardly on the wall thereof. The drip pan is prefer ably made of sheet metal or aluminum and is provided with transverse bracing members 10, these bracing members being in the nature of U-beams, which may also be of sheet metal. These beams or bracing members 10 may be provided with a plurality of apertures or holes 11 for the purpose of lightening the same. It is noted also that the drip pan is slightly curved in section at its middle with the concave side upward Cir exterior t and is provided midway of its ends with a convex portion 12, this being conveXed upwardly to accommodate the lubricant pump as hereinafter set forth. T he lower half of the crank case 7 is provided with an opening in the bottom of the sump, into which is adapted-to be fitted a drain and force pump 15. 'This pump may be of the type and structure set forth in my application filed September 1.8, 1915, and since issued as Pat out l lo. 1.528634%, which'embodies a drain pump for draining the lubricant down wardly from the drip pan and also a force pump for withdrawing the lubricant from the sump and forcing the same upwardly to the lubricating ducts supplying the moving parts of the motor. The duct leading); up-

wardly from the force pump is indicated at 16, it being understood hat this duct leads to a connection 37 on the end of the camshaf" which is made holl ow for the purpose 'in e; as a lubricant distributing head.

The drain pumps are indicated at 18, the

one on the left leading to a chamber 19 formed on the end of the lower half of the crank case and enclosed by means of the end plate 20. A. right hand duct 18 leads upwardly to duct or passage 21 formed integrally in the crank case, this duct or passage communicating with a slot or openthumb nut 27, the latter engaging a rod or bolt 28 extending upwardly through the bottom of the strainer and through the contcr thereof. Filo-rounding: this bolt 28 is a cylindrical chamber for the purpose of providino; an annular chamber 00 around the hereoii the construction of the cari for this filter being. hereinafter set forth. l hrch strainer is also provided with a dewi'rwardly extending mouth or boss 32. Jinopening or passage- 33 therein communii'ratcs it itsuppcr end with the interior of the siwaiiun' .ZQand a t its lower end with a dnot-formed, in the crank case. Each cover isprovided with a downwardly extend- 'bears'against a shoulder 31" formed on the interior of the cylindrical wall wherebythe unit is maintained in its proper position. The twounits Q3 are provided with a bridge 36, joining the two bosses 82; which is formed at its under side with a seat complemental to the seat on the top of the member 37 formed n the crank case, it being understood that this'member 37 has a couple of passages registering with the passages 83 of the strainer unit, these passages 38 leading to similar passages formed in the drain pump structure, whereby in the operation of this pump, the lubricant is forcibly drawn through the strainer unit and carried upwardly through the pump tothe oil sump as set forth more indetail in the above mentioned application. The duplex strainer unit may be secured in position by suitable bolts 41 and to remove the unit as a whole it is only necessary to remove these bolts and disconnect the ducts 18. The filter 29 and carrier 34 are removable as aunit with the cover 26 for cleansing.

The operation of my invention is apparent from the above description. 'As before stated the pump 15 is of a plural pump structure the details o'f'which form no part of the present application. The drain pump, which is a part thereof, serves to draw the lubricant downwardly from'the ends'of the upper half of the crank case and above the drip pan through the ducts l8 and thence through the strainers 23. The pump outlets indicated at d0, return the lubricant to the sump and from the sump aforcepump, which is also a part of the plural pump structure, withdraws the same therefrom and forces it upwardly throughthe ducts 16 for distribution to the lubricatiiig circuits. The oil isthorouo'hly cleansed inits passage through the strainers and may be used over and over again with perfect safety.

In accordance with the patentstatutes I have set forth one complete embodiment of my invention, but it is understood that the invention is capable of assuming various forms and proportions, and the claims annexed hereto are not to be limited to the specific devices illustrated in the drawings, except as is specifically rocitedtherein, but are to be construed in accordance with the realscoq'ie of the invention due regard being: had to a consideration ofthe prior art.

lVhat is claimed. is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a crank case having an oil sump in the lower part thereof, a drippan disposed within said crank case andhetween said'oil sump and the crank case, a lubricating pump disposed in the bottom of said sump, lubricatingducts leading downwardly from the ends of said drip pan to the suction end of said pump and a detachable strainer unit interpolated in said communicating ducts and adapted to be attached to the lower part of the sump along side of said pump.

2. In an internal combustion engine in combination, a crank case having an voil sump in the lower part thereof, said sump having formed integrally therewith a pair of communicating passages, a strainer unit having outlets adapted to be attached to said sump in register with said communicating passages, communicating ducts leading downwardly from the ends of said crank case to said strainer unit, and a pump adapted to be fitted on to said sump in register with said communicating passages for the purpose set forth.

3. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a crank case having an oil sump in the lower part thereof, a scavenging pump located in the bottom of said sump, a drip pan disposed above said sump, and adapted. tocatch the lubricant dripping downwardly from the moving parts of the motor, a strainer unit adapted to be fitted to the bottom of said sump in register with the intake of said pump, communicating ducts leading downwardly from the ends of said drip pan to said strainer unit, and means for forcing the strained lubricant to the moving parts of the motor.

4. A strainer unit comprising a cylindrical casting having a transverse inlet through the wall thereof and an outlet leading axially therefrom, a strainer corresponding in shape to the cylindrical chamber of the cast ing and disposed therein, said cylindrical strainer and casting having spacing means for maintaining the same in alignment with the cylindrical casting, and means for attaching a cover to said cylindrical chamber for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus of the type set forth, in combination, a strainer, a crank case unit comprising a pair of strainer chambers formed integrally with each other, and carried within said crank case, said chambers having outlets and inlets therein for circulating the lubricant therethrough, and strainer members adapted to be readily inserted in and withdrawn from said cham bers.

6. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a crank case having an oil sump in the lower part thereof and a drip pan disposed above said sump, said crank case also having oil collecting chambers at either end thereof which are adapted to collect the lubricant draining downwardly to and from said drip pan, a scavenging pump located in the bottom of said sump, commu nicating ducts leading from said scavenging pump to said chambers, and an integrally formed strainer unit adapted to be interpolated in said CllUOt'S and disposed with their outlets at a point adjacent the intake of said scavenging pump, said scavenging pump having its outlets in communication with the interior of said sump.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crank case with a drip pan therein, said drip pan being provided with a longitudinal depression and being carried by lugs on the interior of said crank case and embodying transverse strengthening and bracing beams which are rigidly secured thereto and which extend across the depression.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case having a drip pan therein, said drip pan having its sides flat and its middleportion curved in transverse section, said drip pan also having transverse bracing and strengthening beams of U-shaped section.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES B. KIRKI-IAM. 

